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been dismantled. Finding the asylum empty, he finally realizes who is occupying the town. The lunatics crown
Plumpick the "King of Hearts" with surreal pageantry as he frantically tries to find the bomb. The madame introduces him to the young innocent Poppy, a neophyte eager to help forget the war around them. Plumpick warns of the impending explosion at midnight, but everyone shrugs it off, living for the day. As "king," he decides to lead them all out of the town to safety. The inmates follow him to the edge of town but refuse to go further into the dangerous unknown world. As midnight approaches, he almost gives up.
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with deference and the
Germans overlook him. Back in town, Plumpick is knocked unconscious by a falling pole, unaware when the inmates leave the asylum, occupy the town, and take on the roles of the townspeople, including those of bishop, brothel madame, prostitutes, barber, circus manager, circus performers, firefighters, soldiers, duke, and duchess. Regaining consciousness, Plumpick has no reason to think the people left in town are not who they appear to be—other than the colorful and playful way in which they're living their lives, so at odds with the fearful and war-ravaged times.
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The barber, his supposed contact, does not recognize the password phrase “The tuna likes to fly” and is unhelpful to
Plumpick’s mission. “General Geranium” cannot direct him to the magazine. One of his pigeons is shot down by the Germans, who mistakenly interpret its message to mean the magazine has
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Plumpick and his surviving pigeon receive medals for their mission. While being transported with the troops past the asylum, Plumpick jumps off the truck, discards his rifle and uniform, and presents himself at the gate of the asylum, stark naked holding only the cage with his favorite pigeon. The
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As morning breaks, the
Germans march toward town as the British colonel orders his men to line up—including Plumpick. Plumpick joins the formation, but Poppy and the women pull him out of the formation as it marches away. Despite his protests, they take their "king," bound and gagged, to a balcony
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Arriving in town with two pigeons in a cage, Plumpick must evade German soldiers. Slipping into the asylum, he puts on pajamas and mixes with inmates who introduce themselves as The Duke of Clubs and
Monsignor Daisy. When Plumpick introduces himself as “the King of Hearts,” the inmates accept him
502:. During the mid 1970s, it was presented in repertory movie theaters as well as non-theatrical college and university film series across the United States, eventually running for five years at the now defunct film house the Central Square Cinemas (2 screens) in
662:
The most famous bit of programming here was
Philippe de Broca's 1966 "King of Hearts", which ran for four years or so and spawned a huge cult following that gave the film new life across the United States. The Central Square Cinemas closed April 1,
33:
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At three minutes to midnight
Plumpick is watching the clocktower with Poppy, anticipating the end. Poppy comments that the knight will come out at midnight. Suddenly Plumpick understands and climbs the
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to stop the mechanical knight from striking the bell. As he struggles to dislodge the bell, the knight approaches, strikes
Plumpkin’s head instead of the bell, and then retreats. The town is saved.
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A lookout announces that thousands of “liberators” are converging from all sides. Not wanting to meet the “outsiders,” the inmates decide to leave and return to the insane asylum.
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The barber is killed while transmitting to the Allies, only managing to relay that the magazine will blow up when “the knight strikes at midnight.”
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agent, overhears and passes the word of the impending explosion. The residents quickly abandon the town, leaving behind homes, businesses, and the
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overlooking the square to watch as the
British and German troops confront and shoot each other dead. Plumpick is the only soldier left alive.
307:, not explosives, is sent by his colonel to disarm the bomb. He needs to discover the meaning of the phrase “the knight strikes at midnight.”
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status, when United States distribution rights were picked up by Randy Finley and
Specialty Films in Seattle in 1973. It was paired with
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clock in the main square to set off a bomb when the mechanical knight strikes the bell at midnight, blowing up the ammunition
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and take over the town — thoroughly confusing the lone Scottish soldier who has been dispatched to defuse the bomb.
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inmates joyously welcome their “King of Hearts,” and they all agree that he will never again leave them.
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the whole town to explode. The locals flee and, left to their own devices, a gaggle of cheerful
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was not especially successful critically or at the box office, with only 141,035 admissions.
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as the lead character, who was reworked as an American soldier named Johnny Perkins.
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that may have impeded its advance publicity, the show closed after 48 performances.
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The film is set in a small town in France near the end of World War I. As the
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Les hommes et les femmes sont faits pour vivre heureux... mais pas ensemble
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Kelly, Kevin. "A broken 'Hearts': Director looks at what went wrong."
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Who is crazier, the asylum inmates or the battlefield soldiers
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United Artists: The Company That Changed the Film Industry
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played supporting roles. Opening at New York City's
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303:Charles Plumpick, whose expertise is caring for
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592:, University of Wisconsin Press, 1987 p. 279
289:and the entire town. The town’s barber, an
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471:When it was released in France in 1966,
648:. Cinema Treasures, LLC. Archived from
581:
630:historylink.org, retrieved May 4, 2015
24:Le Roi de cœur (original French title)
7:
568:on October 22, amid the three-month
544:, and direction and choreography by
1176:Films directed by Philippe de Broca
570:1978 New York City newspaper strike
1186:Films set in psychiatric hospitals
281:. The retreating Germans wire the
14:
1166:Western Front (World War I) films
528:of the same name, with a book by
140:Les Productions Artistes Associés
1161:Anti-war films about World War I
1171:Films scored by Georges Delerue
498:and marketed under the heading
360:as the Soldier Charles Plumpick
1048:Regarde-moi quand je te quitte
859:"Une Nuit avec une Vedette" in
337:The film posits the question,
273:is ending, a small village in
37:U.S. theatrical release poster
26:King of Hearts (United States)
1:
1196:French war comedy-drama films
1156:1960s war comedy-drama films
277:is awaiting liberation from
1201:1960s French-language films
222:international co-production
220:) is a 1966 French/Italian
1227:
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159:21 December 1966
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396:as Colonel Mac Bibenbrook
30:
642:"Central Square Cinemas"
516:King of Hearts (musical)
504:Cambridge, Massachusetts
269:In October 1918, as the
214:(original French title:
1104:Y aura pas Ă©cole demain
427:as Lieutenant Hamburger
195:French, English, German
976:Practice Makes Perfect
902:"Mademoiselle Mimi" in
912:The Devil by the Tail
904:The Oldest Profession
850:The Seven Deadly Sins
783:Les trois rendez-vous
677:retrieved May 5, 2015
618:retrieved May 4, 2015
615:The Milwaukee Journal
478:However, it achieved
390:as An English Officer
1191:Films shot in France
1040:The Keys to Paradise
799:Sous un autre soleil
691:, December 24, 1978.
548:. The cast featured
492:and John Magnuson's
489:Bambi Meets Godzilla
433:as Monseigneur Daisy
400:Françoise Christophe
378:as The Duke of Clubs
366:as Colonel Von Krack
354:as Sergeant Mac Fish
247:Imperial German Army
1181:Films set in France
1072:Le veilleur de nuit
848:"La Gourmandise" in
445:as Madame Eglantine
412:Madeleine Clervanne
408:as Général Vallemat
372:as Général Géranium
1211:1960s French films
1056:Tales from the Zoo
769:Films directed by
723:TCM Movie Database
640:DeLuca, Gerald A.
495:Thank You Mask Man
451:as Monsieur Marcel
388:Pier Paolo Capponi
376:Jean-Claude Brialy
1138:
1137:
1128:Viper in the Fist
920:Give Her the Moon
869:That Man from Rio
807:Opération gas-oil
771:Philippe de Broca
602:J.P.'s Box Office
524:was adapted as a
455:Philippe de Broca
232:Philippe de Broca
207:
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47:Philippe de Broca
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1206:1966 drama films
1096:Madame Sans-GĂŞne
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566:Minskoff Theatre
562:Millicent Martin
526:Broadway musical
510:Stage adaptation
443:Micheline Presle
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382:Geneviève Bujold
364:Daniel Boulanger
279:German occupiers
240:Geneviève Bujold
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92:Geneviève Bujold
79:Philipe de Broca
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57:Daniel Boulanger
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652:on 20 May 2016
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628:"Randy Finley"
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654:. Retrieved
650:the original
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588:Tino Balio,
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554:Pamela Blair
550:Don Scardino
532:, lyrics by
530:Joseph Stein
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487:
484:Marv Newland
477:
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461:(uncredited)
459:Adolf Hitler
421:as Brunehaut
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230:directed by
225:comedy-drama
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175:Running time
152:Release date
59:(screenplay)
15:
1032:1001 Nights
1000:The African
936:Dear Louise
536:, music by
415: [
394:Adolfo Celi
305:war pigeons
257:escape the
179:102 minutes
115: [
76:Produced by
65: [
43:Directed by
1151:1966 films
1145:Categories
1120:Le menteur
576:References
558:Bob Gunton
538:Peter Link
439:as Alberic
358:Alan Bates
321:clocktower
251:booby trap
236:Alan Bates
200:Box office
163:1966-12-21
88:Alan Bates
53:Written by
1016:The Gypsy
1008:Louisiana
839:Cartouche
823:The Joker
675:Criterion
546:Ron Field
520:In 1978,
480:cult film
301:Signaller
283:automaton
271:Great War
203:$ 580,000
192:Languages
108:Edited by
1080:On Guard
1024:Chouans!
734:AllMovie
384:as Poppy
287:magazine
255:lunatics
126:Music by
84:Starring
721:at the
656:16 June
467:Release
184:Country
161: (
1131:(2004)
1123:(2004)
1115:(2003)
1107:(2003)
1099:(2002)
1091:(2000)
1088:Amazon
1083:(1997)
1075:(1996)
1067:(1995)
1059:(1994)
1051:(1993)
1043:(1991)
1035:(1990)
1027:(1988)
1019:(1986)
1011:(1984)
1003:(1983)
995:(1981)
987:(1980)
979:(1979)
971:(1977)
963:(1977)
955:(1975)
947:(1973)
939:(1972)
931:(1971)
923:(1970)
915:(1969)
907:(1967)
896:(1966)
888:(1965)
880:(1964)
872:(1964)
864:(1963)
853:(1962)
842:(1962)
834:(1961)
826:(1960)
818:(1960)
810:(1956)
802:(1954)
794:(1954)
786:(1953)
560:, and
291:Allied
275:France
259:asylum
187:France
663:1980.
437:Palau
419:]
119:]
69:]
712:IMDb
658:2017
345:Cast
265:Plot
238:and
228:film
121:(II)
992:Psy
732:at
710:at
486:'s
457:as
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660:.
644:.
556:,
506:.
417:fr
341:?
242:.
117:fr
67:fr
762:e
755:t
748:v
165:)
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